the unknown citizen

poem by W.H. Auden
reading by Alfred Molina


--
The Unknown Citizen
(To JS/07/M/378 This Marble Monument Is Erected by the State)

He was found by the Bureau of Statistics to be
One against whom there was no official complaint,
And all the reports on his conduct agree
That, in the modern sense of an old-fashioned word, he was a saint
For in everything he did he served the Greater Community.
Except for the War till the day he retired
He worked in a factory and never got fired,
But satisfied his employers, Fudge Motors Inc.
Yet he wasn't a scab or odd in his views,
For his Union reports that he paid his dues,
(Our report on his Union shows it was sound)
And our Social Psychology workers found
That he was Popular with his mates and liked to drink.
The Press are convinced that he bought a Paper every day
And that his reactions to advertisements were normal in every way.
Policies taken out in his name prove that he was fully insured
And his Health-card shows he was once in a hospital but left it cured,
Both Producers Research and High-Grade Living declare
He was fully sensible to the advantages of the Installment Plan
And had everything necessary to the Modern Man,
A phonograph, a radio, a car and a frigidaire.
Our researchers into Public Opinion are content
That he held the proper opinions for the time of year;
When there was peace he was for peace when there was war he went.
He was married and added five children to the population,
Which our Eugenist says was the right number for a parent of his generation,
And our teachers report that he never interfered with their education.
Was he free? Was he Happy? The question is absurd:
Had anything been wrong, we should certainly have heard.
--
**No monetary gain is earned from this video. Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. Not to mention that taking this video down would be the height of irony.

--
dedicated to Hoolie
stay strong bro

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

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• tight
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[DanNinjaMan]

This also helped me a lot with writing a paper. Hearing someone read it aloud helps a lot.

[pennilesscripple]

i'm glad, ninjaman. poems are meant to be heard out loud, and you have to listen to them more than once to really get them. best wishes with your paper.

[abadixx9]

thank very much ..for upload i have exam and this video help me a lot. 

[pennilesscripple]

i'm happy to hear that

take care

[Kirilltraceur]

Hah..

I got the noose comparison/metaphor

Great poem and vid.!

[pennilesscripple]

thanks mate

[XaveJamesGrey]

Nice editing. Bravo!

[pennilesscripple]

good to seeya, dane

i still keep my big toe in the youtube shark tank

and i see you around, dropping sane comments

[DANE842]

Why have I not been getting these in my inbox? I thought you'd dropped off the map and missed the finesse with which you managed to skewer the culture. Welcome back to my field of view.

[pennilesscripple]

thank you

i enjoyed making it

nice to seeya :o)